All scholars and shaikhs of
Syria accepted him as their teacher, and those living in
Damascus used to attend his daily lessons.

He had a photographic memory. Knew by heart all the
hadeeths of Bukhari, Muslim, and the remainder of the six
most famous books of Hadith, including the biography of all
narrators of all chains of every hadith, their dates of
birth and decease, and their status of authenticity.

Also, he used to explain the Qur’an by heart from al
Baydawi’s Tafsir (explanation of the Qur’aan). His ijazah
was especially besought by Hadeeth scholars for being the
closest one of his age to the Prophet Salla’l Laahu `Alaihi
Wa Sallam (counting the number of men in the chain).

Doctors and engineers who attended his classes used to
say: ”We exhausted our life learning our profession, and he
knows it more than us.”

He was also instrumental in the organization of the
revolution against the French occupation.

The following are quoted from Al Durar Al Lu’lu’iyyah by
Shaykh Mahmood al Rankusi who was his
special student for the last twelve years of his life:

- He knew Sahih Muslim and Bukhari by heart, including
individual chains of narrators and their biographies. It is
not improbable that he also knew by heart their commentaries
from “Fath Al Bari”, al `Ayni and al Nawawi.

- Egypt’s Mufti Shaikh Muhammad Bakhit said: ”If he was
with us in Egypt, (out of respect) scholars would carry him
over their shoulders.”

- Shaikh Muhammad al Qayati said: ”He is among the
rarities of this age… We were present one night when he was
reciting “Saheeh Al Bukhari”. He recited more than one hour,
discussing topics and explaining Hadeeth by heart.”

- The great Hadeeth scholar Abdu’l Wasi` al-Yamani said:
”I have heard teachers and preachers in numerous countries
but I have never seen anybody similar to him concerning his
expertise in all Sciences.”

- A scholar from India said in a long biography: ”He is
the Qutb (pivot, pillar) of our time and the Mujaddid
(renovator of religion) of our age.”